Round Six - Thruxton - 2018 Caterham Roadsport Championship

Round Six of the 2018 Caterham Roadsport Championship was held last weekend (1st and 2nd September) at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire.

When Thruxton was released on the calendar last year, there was only one test day and questions were asked by many - why only one test day?!?  Well that's because there are only two braking zones!

So having not been there before I decided to get some testing in earlier on this year.

Testing earlier on this year at Thruxton in my 2018 Caterham Roadsport

Testing went well, with two big eye openers - the enormous tow effect and massive tyre degradation.

ONTO THE RACE WEEKEND:-
Race One Video - PART 1
I managed to qualify in P3 (after I got caught short of time and arrived at qualifying later than usual).
Race one was split into two parts due to a big crash, but my first start was good and after a massive sideways into club (which surprisingly I saved!) I had the gap I needed to attempt a breakaway, but the race was red flagged.

Race One Video - PART 2So race one was restarted minus a few drivers!  A race long tow battle ensued, which ended with a final five or six car tow on the last lap, which I thought I'd timed perfectly, but I got boxed into the crowd and had to yield.  I finished P5, but with fastest lap (which is now the Roadsport lap record) equaling a point, this was a net fourth place.

RACE TWO VIDEO

My fifth place from the previous days race decided my starting grid position for this race.  I made an OK start, then there was a fairly big crash by Neil Fraser on the first lap.  I made up a few places, eventually securing third place.  Unfortunately the race video didn't record for any further than five minutes, so uploaded the footage anyway.

So it turns out that a lap record and third place was the best I could achieve at Thruxton, which leaves the championship extremely tight at the top!

(l-r) me (p3) James McCall (p1 twice!) and James Murphy (p3)

2018 Caterham Roadsport Championship Showdown

The final two rounds of this season will be held at Silverstone International Circuit on 22nd and 23rd September, with the title more than likely decided on the Sunday (23rd).  The only real title contenders are myself (on 337 points) and James Murphy (on 336 points after minus six penalty points he received for a crash at Castle Combe are removed by a days marshalling), so it's all to race for and no doubt will be an utterly thrilling weekend of racing!  

2018 Caterham Roadsport Championship Contenders (l-r) Graham Macdonald, Daniel Halstead, James Murphy, Daniel French and Tom Allen).

Feel free to come and say hello if you've come down to watch the action.